MARCH 16, 2011

Bahrain situation deteriorates

With Bahrain declaring a state of emergency, it now looks highly unlikely that the cancelled season-opening F1 race will be rescheduled in 2011.

The FIA have given the Bahrainis until May 1 to signal that political difficulties had been quelled and to apply for a replacement date for the event. Fresh weekend unrest, allied to troops being called in from neighbouring Saudi Arabia to help maintain stability, look to have ended any chance of the race happening this year.

"If the Crown Prince is of the opinion that his country is able to host a race we will return to Bahrain," Ecclestone said three weeks ago, with speculation that the race would be back-to-backed with the Abu Dhabi event late in the year. Any such guarantee by the May 1 deadline now seems impossible, however.